Bait-trap.



PATENTED APR. 2l, 1908.

J. E. THIAVILLB.

BAIT TRAP. APPLIOATION FILED sBPT.12,19of/.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED APR. 21, 1908.

J. E. TEIAVILLB.

BA1? TRAP. K APPLICATION Pl'LED SEPT.12,1DOY.

s SHEETS-sum1 z.

N0.V885,402. PATENTED APR. 21, 1908. J. E. THIAVILLE.

BAIT TRAP.

ARPLIOATION FILED SBPT.12,190'I.

f 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'JOSEPH '-rHrAvrLLE,

UNTTED STATES PATENT oFFioE.

VOF FAIR HAVEN, VERMONT, SSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM THIAVILLE, OF UPPER TROY, NEW YORK.

B Air'rnar.

Specification o! Letters I atent.

Patented April 21, 1908.

Application led September 12, 19.07. Serial No. 392,420.

Be it known that,l, JosPH E. THIAVILLE, a citizen of the United States, .residing at Fair Haven, county of Rutlandfand State of' Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bait-Traps, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements and consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the referencp characters markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several gures" therein.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a view in perspective of the improved bait-trap set in position for use. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same showing the side-frames closed in position to retain any fish which might be caught therein. Figs. 3, 4 and ,5 are detail views on an enlarged scale showing corner portions ofthe vtop and bottom-frames, and means for detachably connecting the two frames. Fig. 6 is a bottom side view in plan of the top-frame detached. Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the trap collapsed and the parts folded and packed together in a convenient form for shipment.

The trap is designed to catch small fish known as bait-fish.

The trap-inclosure is formed by securing together six meshed frames comprising a top frame,"1, a bottom-frame, 2, and side-frames 3, 4,5 and 6. Each frame has its middle portion meshed, as by the interwoven wires, 7, as shown in the drawings. The top and bottom-frames are secured. in-their relative positions, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by means of the corner-posts 10. These corner-posts are hinged at their upper ends'to the topframe as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The ears, 12,` preferably made of bent tin, ar secured as by solder to the frame, 1, having a depend- 'inglilanga 13, also made of tin or like materia the ears an d the ends of the corner-posts bein apertured to receive the hinge-pivot 14. The ower ends of the posts are projected through an aperture, 15, (see Fig. 4) formed in the corners of the bottom-frame, 2, and sei cured therein by a Cotter-pin, 16, passed through an aperture in the lower end of the post, as seen in Fig. 5. The side-frames are 20, passing through apertures in the respecl tive frames, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

21 is a bait-support and consists of a wire, bent as lseen in Fig. 6, inserted through oney of the mesh apertures in the top-frame and su ported therein by means vof the knob or ball, 22, secured to the upper end of the wire on the uperdside of the top-frame. The bait is secure to the bent portion at the lower end of thewire which depends within the inclosure, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. l

The side-frames are ada ted to swing to and fro from the position s own in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2'.

As a means for swinging the frames from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, I provide four cords, 24, one lfor each side-frame. The cords are secured at their low\er ends to said frames respectively. These cords pass through the guides, 25, secured to the to outer edge of the top-frame and the centra ring, 26, secured to the central portion of the top-frame, as by the short posts 27.

The upper ends of the cords are secured together at the desired distance from the topame, as by a knot 28. By lifting up on these cords the side frames will be swung upwardly to the osition shown in Fig. 2.

To restore t e side-frames to the horizontal position, shown in Fig. l, it is onl necessaryto release the cord, 24, when t e sideframes will swing down to the horizontal position by gravity. .lt is for the purpose of securing this latter movement through the inuence of gravity that the top-frame is made largerlthan the bottom-frame which causes the upper edgesl of the side-frames to overhang their lower o'r hin ed edges, whereby the force of gravity wil cause them to open outwardly and swing to the horizontal position when the cords are released.

The operation of' the device is as follows:- The trap being deposited in a stream of wav ter, where small iish which are used as baitiish abound, which can be done by means of an Ordinar stick or pole fastened to the upperf end oft e cords, 24, the cords are relaxed and the side-frames allowed to open orfrest upon the ground at the bottom of the stream.

The bait-support havin been provided with sembled about the Worms, lifting force is eX- erted upon the cords through the pole or otherwise which first closes -the side-frames to the osition shown in Fig. 2. By continuing the ifting force the trap and its entrapped fish are lifted from the water and deposited upon land, the water passing out through the mesh openings in the respective frames; then the cords arereleased and the sideframes fall open rendering the entrapped bait fish accessible.'

By having all the frames lneshed, as shown, the trap will passmore readily through the water inv setting the same and in removing it from the water.

To pack the. trap into a small compass for shipment or carrying about from one place to another, it is only necessary to Withdraw the cotter-pins, 16, from the posts and withdraw the lower ends of the posts from the bottom-frame and fold the posts down upon the inner side of the top-frame, as seen in Fig. the Cotter-pins being restored to their respective apertures to prevent loss. Two

of the oppositely-disposed side-frames are then folded upon the upper side ot the bottom-frame, and the other two side-frames are folded upon the under or opposite side of the same frame, the hinge-rings, 20, permitting the sifleranies to fold upon either side ol'` the bottom-frame. The top-frame is then placed flat upon thefolded frames. The parts then occupy the relative positions, shown in Fig. 7, and form a comparatively '35 thin compact package.

40 setting the trap. It is preferable, however,

to operate the `side-frames in pairs and one pair of oppositely-disposed frames may be permanently secured in a closed position while the othero posite'ly-disposed pair are opened and close 1n operating the trap.

By using oppositely-disposedn side-frames the pull upon the oppositely-dis osed cords will balance each the other so t at the two sides are closed Without tipping the trap.

IItis also obvious that thebait-suppor't, 2 1, a

,eos

may be located at any desired position, pref- -erably near the center of the trap-inclosure.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In a bait-trap, of the class described the combination with a top-frame; a bottom-trarne;` side-frames Vhinged to the edges of the bottom-frame; andguides on the topf frame; o1" cordsl secured at one end to the oscillatory edges of such hinged framesrespectively, and passed through the guidesbn. the top-frame to the central part of 4such frame and secured to each other at the desired distance from the frame; and a bait# support Within the trapA-inclosure. Y

2. In a bait-trap, ot the class described, c having a bottom-frame and a top frameV larger in area than the bottom frame; and oppositely-disposed side-walls hinged at their lower edges to the smaller frame; means whereby the opening movement of thesidev 'frames may be controlled. and whereby the, closing movement of such frames 'may be effected; and a bait-support within the trap inclosure.

3. in a bait-trap, ol' the class described, the combination with the bottom frame;y of a pair of oppositely-disposed side-frames hinged to swing over upon one side oi such bottom frame; another pair of such sideframes oppositely-disposed and hinged to the bott-sm-frame to swing over upon its opposite side; and a detachable top-frame, suports for the top-frame hinged to the bottom rrame to swing over upon the latter'frame after the top-frame has been detached from dsuch supports.

4. In a bait-trap of the class described, havinor a bottom-frame; four side-frames hinged thereto and adapte-d to swing vover on to the same; a top-frame and detachable connections between the top and bottoniframes;` closing mechanism and a bait-sup port secured to'one of the frames l In testimony whereof, l have hereunto srl" my hand this 10th day oi September, 1967.

, JOSEPH E. THAVLLE.

W'itnesses:

M. @"REELY,

d. Donseaon., 

